1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for cleaning or processing a room by means of an autonomously mobile device, wherein the method includes the following steps:
Creating a map of the room,
Storing the map of the room in a data memory,
Selection of a subarea of the room by the user,
Transmitting the location data of the selected subarea to a processing unit connected to the data memory,
Comparing the location data of the selected subarea with the location data contained in the map to enable the processing unit to identify the subarea,
Cleaning or processing the room taking into account a user command regarding the selected subarea.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods of the kind described above are sufficiently well known in the prior art. The device used for cleaning or processing a room moves autonomously according to a pre-programmed travel and optionally also cleaning/processing strategy. In this context, it is also known that the device is equipped with a map or map-like representation of the room to be cleaned or processed, optionally multiple maps for a corresponding number of rooms. Said map is preferably stored in a non-volatile memory. In particular, the location data for obstacles, such as boundary walls, or also furniture, is marked in the map or the map-like representation. In order to capture the data for the room, it is further known to operate the device in the context of a teaching run, during which the map is also created. Additionally, the map may also be updated in the course of subsequent runs, so that it can capture rearranged furniture, for example. For this purpose, the device is equipped with means for capturing the room that are capable of detecting the location data of the room, particularly the obstacles. In this regard, reference is made to DE 102008014912 A1, which discloses a cleaning device with an all-round scanner. In detail, the obstacle detection function disclosed therein is based on an optical triangulation process that measures distances to obstacles, which are then used to create a map of the room. A method for creating a map with location information is disclosed in DE 102010000174 A1, for example. Alternatively or additionally to distance measurements, it is also known from the related art to create maps from single images taken with a camera, in the manner of a mosaic, for example.
In order to steer a device known from the prior art to a specific subarea of the room, so that it can carry out locally limited cleaning/processing there, for example, or to block said area entirely for cleaning/processing, methods are also known in the prior art in which the user can direct the device to a desired subarea manually with the aid of a remote control, or select a desired subarea on the map as the target location. With regard to the locally limited cleaning (spot cleaning), the user can use a remote control, for example, to steer the device to the site that is to be cleaned, with the aid of arrow keys, for example. Alternatively, the user may also carry the device to the site, and there press a button on the device to initiate local cleaning. On the other hand, in order to show the device which local subareas it must not enter, separate “no entry markers” are set, for example, such as magnetic strips or IR beacons.
Methods are also known in which a user controls the device remotely with the aid of a mobile end device, such as a smartphone. In such cases, a current photograph of the room taken by a camera on the cleaning or processing device and/or a map stored in a data memory in the device may be displayed on the mobile end device. The user can select and/or mark subareas of the room that are to be cleaned/processed, or also subareas that are to be avoided. In the case that local cleaning is desired, the device may travel to the subarea itself, for example, without the user having to monitor or control its movement. In this regard, reference is made to documents DE 102009024990 A1 and DE 102009052629 A1, for example.
The disadvantage of the methods described in the preceding is that the user himself must find the subarea of the room to which the device must travel or which it must avoid on the map. To do this, the user directs the device to the desired room subarea, for example using arrow keys on a remote control, also on a mobile end device, for example. This is often inaccurate, and corrections have to be made, or the user must be particularly experienced in the use thereof to ensure that the device will travel precisely to the desired subarea. In such circumstances, the device does not travel to the subarea automatically, but instead the user must control the device until it reaches the desired subarea of the room. In the event that images from the device camera or a map of the room are displayed on a mobile end device, the user must also find and select the desired subarea on the map. When doing so, the user has to orientate himself on the map constantly, and find the desired subarea. This is time-consuming and inconvenient, particularly for users with little experience.